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Garde discusses January failure and plans for future

Date published: Thursday 11th February 2016 8:50

Remi Garde says Randy Lerner was reluctant to put up the money that would have enabled Aston Villa to make signings in the January transfer window.

Garde was unable to add a single new player to his squad last month, further decreasing his chances of saving a club that is still eight points from safety in the Premier League after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Norwich City.

Garde says Lerner does want to make positive changes at Villa Park but was not keen on throwing money at what could be considered a lost cause.

Garde told French radio station RMC: “I think he really wants to rebuild the club and put the players he recruits into working conditions where they will improve — individually and collectively.

“He judged that isn’t the case right now — effectively there is in-depth work to be done at Aston Villa.

“Of course I would have liked money in January. I’d targeted a few players who could have strengthened us.

“It didn’t happen for various reasons, taking into account that our situation was not very attractive for the players, because unfortunately there’s a chance the club will be in the Championship next season.

“There’s also an American owner who has already invested and — unfortunately for him — lost a lot of money over the last five years.

“People talk about 300 million pounds that he’s lost which isn’t nothing.

“The team has been battling for a long while and been fighting to stay up for the last four years.

“This season we’re last so what I’ll say is there are no miracles.

“The squad has potential but is limited in size all the same.”

Garde willing to stay at Villa

There was speculation following Villa’s failure to make any new signings that Garde would quit, but the Frenchman says he is prepared to lead the club in the Championship – providing he is given enough money to build a squad capable of gaining promotion.

“I’m prepared to stay in this club if there are the (financial) means to go up,” Garde said.

“As everyone knows Aston Villa’s a big club and very prestigious in England. From the outside it remains prestigious – but when you’re on the inside there’s much, much work to be done.

“But if I’m given the means then obviously it’s a project that could interest me.

“At the moment we’ll really start preparing for next season at the end of this season, even a little bit before, when we’ll have more certainty. There’s in-depth work to be done at this club.”